


Jihyo and Her Cat Bbuyo

by FluffyHyo



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Cat, F/F, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:55:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24143968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyHyo/pseuds/FluffyHyo
Summary: It's a story that looks into the life of an international idol as she lives together with her grey british shorthair cat.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Park Jisoo | Jihyo, Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon, Minatozaki Sana/Park Jisoo | Jihyo, Park Jihyo/Bbuyo
Comments: 22
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When I first started writing this series, I remembered a series that I watched long ago. It's a series called Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai. There might be some references, especially in the summary, but I can assure you that this story - and the stories I will be writing in the future - are based on my imagination of Jihyo's life with Bbuyo. 
> 
> This will be a weekly series updated every Thursday at around 8 PM KST.
> 
> Thank you for reading so far and I hope you continue looking forward to the next chapters!

_Life felt meaningless and hollow in this small cramped place. I wonder why I was here in the first place. What did I do wrong to be born in a place like this? A place where people would come by and stare at me with excited eyes through the transparent glass that separated my world and theirs. I would try looking back at them, telling them to get me away from here, but they would always leave before I had a chance._

_Until one day, a girl came into the store. Somehow I knew that she was different from any other person that entered through that door. The people who kept me here had huge smiles on their faces, even though usually they wouldn’t. Who is this girl, I wondered to myself. As I lazed around in my tiny glassed prison, the girl came to have a look at me._

_I have long gave up on leaving this place, so I ignored the girl’s stares. But she didn’t leave. She kept staring at me with her large crystal-like eyes._

“So cute… You must have been lonely, have you?” Jihyo uttered those words, knowing well that the cat inside wouldn’t be able to understand her. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring you home with me. I won’t let you be alone anymore.”

_The girl looked like she was saying something, but I couldn’t understand the human language. The only thing that I could ‘understand’ was her beaming smile. It was a smile like no other. It was simply, radiant and beautiful._

_And before I knew it, I was making my way out of the only place I ever knew, escaping that lonely cramped space. I’m finally free._

***

_I carefully stepped outside from what seemed to be called a carrier, unfamiliar with the new environment I was in. In front of me, I was greeted by the girl who took me. The girl with the beautiful smile. She picked me up from the ground and started holding me close to her. Her sweet scent tickled my senses and her long soft hair brushed through my fur._

_Warm… She’s warm._

_I felt like I could let my guard down when I’m with her. It was an unthinkable thing to do as an animal with our sharp instincts, but that’s how I felt. This feeling, I’ve never felt this way before._

“From now on I’m calling you Bbuyo!” she declared energetically, holding her cat level to her face speaking to him directly. Her eyes were lit up in excitement. “Ah, my name is Jihyo. Please remember that. I hope we can be good friends!” She snuggled into his fur lovingly.

It has always been a dream of hers to raise a cat. Today she was finally able to fulfill one of her dreams. It was a simple yet honest dream. With her living apart from her parents now, she had more freedom to do what she wanted. Since she wanted to introduce Bbuyo as a new member of the family first, she decided to head back to her family’s house today. 

_Bbuyo? Is that my name? I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but I felt like she was calling me when she said ‘Bbuyo’. I don’t know what it means or why she decided to call me ‘Bbuyo’, but I’m glad she gave me a name. After all, I’ve been nameless all this time. I wonder what her name is. If only I were human, I would understand._

_I was introduced to many new humans that I think are her family. I wonder what being in a family feels like. Two other girls that looked similar to the girl who took me in seemed to be excited seeing me. Strange. I’m only a cat, but why do they seem so happy? It somehow makes me feel happy too._

_I still don’t know much about her, but I want to know more and more about her. What makes her smile, what makes her cry, what makes her worry, what her favorite food and drink is, what she does every day. I want to know everything. I still have plenty of time._

_I never thought this meaningless and hollow life slowly turned into something precious. And I know exactly why._

_It’s because I am her cat. And my name is Bbuyo._


	2. Chapter 2

_I was brought to a new place by her. It was different from the place I was brought yesterday. I think this will be the place I will be spending most of my time with her. It’s just a cat’s intuition, but I was sure that I wasn’t wrong._

_I was surprised that there were lots of new humans greeting me as we entered the door. Surprisingly, they all gave off a warm fuzzy feeling. Are they her family too? I never knew that a family would be so big. Not that I would know. I’ve been all alone as far as I can remember._

“Bbuyo, from now on we’ll be staying here,” Jihyo said, putting him down on her bed. Seeing how cute he was, she started stroking his fur gently. Bbuyo purred in delight. “You’ve been a really smart cat, Bbuyo. Your parents must be really proud of you.” 

_She was saying something to me, so I tried my best listening to her even though I couldn’t understand a single word. The way she rubs my fur, it makes me feel safe. I think I’m also feeling a bit sleepy… No... I need to listen to her._

“Looks like you’re sleepy.” Jihyo always talked to him as if he was a person. It didn’t bother her even though she knew that her cat would never understand her. If she didn’t talk to Bbuyo, she was afraid that he would feel lonely. She didn’t want that.

Seeing her cat drift away with eyes struggling to stay open, she started singing a lullaby. Her voice was as tender as her feelings for her little life companion.

_Her voice is really soothing. She should become a singer, I’m sure many people would appreciate her voice. Even a cat like me can tell that her voice is special. If only I could tell her…_

Having those as his lost thoughts before losing consciousness, Bbuyo finally fell fast asleep. He was now transported to the world of dreams where parts of his memories resided.

_Ah, why does this look so familiar? This scene… I remember. It was before I was brought to that prison. I was still a newborn kitten and-- why am I being put in a box? Where, where is my mom? Where are my siblings? Where are you bringing me?_

_I could feel the cold prickle my furless skin. With my tiny eyes, I tried to make out where I was, but the only thing I could see was the starless dark sky. I was no longer moving. Even if I don’t know where this place was, I know for sure that this wasn’t a place I was supposed to be. Why? Why am I all alone? Where did everyone go?_

_I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. Am I going to die? Please, please don’t abandon me. I promise to be a good cat. I promise. So please, don’t leave me-_

“That’s hilarious Jeongyeon!” A loud voice followed by an eruption of laughter came from one of the rooms in the dorm. Bbuyo who was asleep earlier suddenly woke up hearing those loud noises.

_When I opened my eyes, the room was empty. Where is she? I tried scanning the room carefully, but she was still nowhere to be found. The girl who gave me a name. The girl who always smiled when she’s with me. Where is she now?_

_Did she… abandon me?_

_I could feel pain and fear starting to envelope my frail heart._

_I ran and ran and ran, entering every room that was open, but I still couldn’t find her. Until finally, there was only one room left. As I entered the room, I could see a couple of humans gather. They were her family from earlier. But the girl I was searching for wasn’t there._

As Bbuyo entered the room, Nayeon who was busy goofing with the other members noticed the presence of Jihyo’s cat. “Ah, it’s Bbuyo! Come play with us!” With her eyes lit up in excitement having Bbuyo suddenly appear, she made an inviting motion with her hands. 

_Why is she moving her hand weirdly like that? Is she telling me to come to her? But I still need to find where she is. She’s still missing._

Nayeon kept on motioning for the cat to come to her, but Bbuyo didn’t budge.

“Bbuyo doesn’t like you! It’s because you’re too ugly hahaha!” Jeongyeon couldn’t hold in her laughter seeing Nayeon’s dejected face after being completely ignored by the cat.

“He’s just nervous because I’m too pretty! Come here Bbuyo. I’ll let you know how it feels to be held by a beautiful girl like me.” Nayeon kept on persuading Bbuyo to come closer to her. But her efforts didn't bear fruit. The grey cat didn’t seem interested.

“Unnie, you shouldn’t lie like that.” Tzuyu jokingly scolded her with a straight face. With her mouth slightly open Nayeon turned to Tzuyu in disbelief and started whining. People who saw this scene would never have expected that the one whining was the eldest in the group. 

_Why are they all so loud? I can’t understand a single thing. But it looks like her family is still here. If her family is still here, where could she be now? If only I could ask them._

Feeling down because of the language barrier, suddenly Bbuyo’s ears caught on to something.

_It’s her!_

_I ran to the front entrance, hoping that my ears didn’t fool me. When I arrived, I could see the girl I was searching for carrying a plastic bag that seemed to be the same size as her. It looks like there were lots of things inside._

“Waaah, Bbuyo~!” She immediately put down her bag and raised her arms in excitement, just like a little kid seeing a new toy. She was happy seeing her cat greet her at the front door. 

“I bought something for you.” Jihyo put her hand in the bag full of stuff before finally pulling out a can of tuna. “Jajaang~! Here’s some tasty food for you Bbuyo.” Jihyo went to the kitchen to get a can opener. After opening the tuna can, she put it on the floor for him to eat.

_This smell… it smells tasty! This is delicious! I wonder why I’ve never tried something like this before. Mmmm~_

While Bbuyo was busy eating, Jihyo started caressing his body gently, as if she was encouraging him to eat slowly and carefully, like a mom worrying about her child.

_Her touch was as gentle as always. The warmth of her hand didn’t change. It was ridiculous of me to worry. The person I am with now would never abandon me like what happened in the past. She’s different. She’s the gentle and kind girl that I love so much._

_The lingering pain and fear that was enveloping my heart earlier evaporated like air as she ran her fingers through my fur._


	3. Chapter 3

_The faint sound of rain pouring outside caused me to awaken from my sleep. Taking a glance at the window, the skies were still dark, and the atmosphere was still tranquil. I can’t tell what time it was, but I was sure that right now was the time of the day where humans were still deep in their slumber. Except, it wasn’t entirely true. During this time of the day where I thought everyone was still sleeping, she was awake._

_The girl didn’t notice that I was no longer sleeping. She seemed lost in thought, sitting on her bed, taking notes on her small notebook I’ve seen a couple of times. Her small purple colored notebook that had stickers decorate its plain cover. She had a serious expression on her face. The kind of expression I see when she gathers all of her family members that live here for a talk._

_I carefully climbed up her bed, trying my best not to get noticed, but my attempt didn’t seem to succeed. As soon as I reached the top of the bed, she turned her head in surprise._

“Did I wake you up?” Jihyo asked softly. Her voice was as calm as dawn, as she reached out her hand to her cat. Her words reverberated in the silent room.

_The warmth of her hand she extended invited me to sit on her lap. It was one of my favorite places to be. A place I never knew existed before I met her. The gentle strokes on my head made me feel safe. I wonder if she feels safe with me. As she continues to stroke my head with her left hand, she would from time to time write something down on her notebook with her right._

“Don’t tell anyone, but I’m trying to write a song for the members.” Jihyo said bashfully. It has been something she’s always wanted to do, but she wasn’t confident enough with her own abilities. Despite having the experience, she was still anxious. Her raw emotions towards her beloved members were about to be laid bare.

_It was my first time seeing her bashful smile. A face I’ve never seen her make before. I could tell that she was telling me a secret. Even though I couldn’t understand her, somehow, from the gentle strokes on my head as she spoke, I knew that it was about something dear to her. Something as dear as she is for me._

“I wonder if the members will like it.” There was a hint of worry on her face. When it comes to music, she always second guesses herself. It was because she had high standards and expectations for herself that she wanted to meet no matter what. Especially when it comes to something presented to people dear to her.

_This feeling of worry and uncertainty. I can feel it. Her hands stopped stroking me and I knew that it was because of the turbulent feelings inside her. I looked up at her face, her features as pretty always, and told her, ‘Don’t worry.’_

As Jihyo was worrying, she heard a small meow come from her cat that was resting comfortably on her lap. She smiled at her cat, “I’ll do my best!” Despite being separated by a barrier called language, somehow they seem to understand each other, even if it’s just a little.

_Her expression… She’s not worrying anymore. Did my voice reach her? No, that can’t possibly be it. But even so, I’m glad that she has a different look on her face now. Time passed slowly as the night started to fade. She continued to scribble on her notebook, occasionally pouting or singing to herself. How I love listening to her singing voice._

_The warm rays of early sunlight started to peek through the gaps of the curtain. She yawned and put down her book by her side before finally lying down on her bed, closing her heavy eyes. I adjusted myself and stayed by her side, as I always would if I had the chance. Her empty book was now full with strokes of ink that I couldn’t understand. But from her peaceful sleeping face, I knew she was able to lay down her honest feelings._


	4. Chapter 4

_It was already this time of the day where she would walk through the door and greet me. Although most of the time it was uncertain when she would return, lately I noticed a pattern of her coming at this time. Still… I could be wrong. What would a cat know?_

_But even if I’ll have to wait a little bit longer, it would be fine. As long as I can see her again after a long day. I’m sure she shares the same feelings too._

_Time kept on ticking, but there was still no sign of her yet. I waited and waited, until the orange sky turned dark. I wonder if she’s coming home late this time. It wasn’t something I was unfamiliar with either. I guess I’ll just wait for her in her room._

_I went to her flower scented room and climbed her bed. I could still smell her on her bed sheets. Sweet. Being totally relaxed lying on her bed, I soon felt my eyes weakening and my consciousness fading away._

_When I came to open my eyes, I noticed that she was already right beside me, her face buried in her pillow. I called out to her, but she didn’t budge. With my small grey paws, I tried nudging her shoulder, calling out to her once again, but there was no response._

_What’s wrong…?_

_I hopped on to her back, thinking that she might scold me. I didn’t like getting scolded, but it was better than being ignored. Again, there was still no response. Maybe she’s asleep? No, the way she’s breathing isn’t the same as when she’s asleep. I know that more than anyone else, since I’ve always been watching her._

_I hopped down from her back and went outside, searching for someone I knew would help me. I could hear her voice from the kitchen, so I rushed there without a second thought. I called out to the orange haired girl, but she seemed confused._

Sana just finished washing the dishes when Bbuyo entered the kitchen. “What’s wrong Bbuyo?” asked Sana as he kept on meowing.

_She doesn’t understand me. I’ll have to get closer to her._

Sana giggled feeling Bbuyo’s soft fur as he slithered cheekily through her bare legs. “That tickles~ Ahihihi.”

_After getting her full attention, I started walking back to the room, occasionally turning my head towards the orange haired girl, signaling her to come with me._

“Do you want me to follow you?” Sana asked in a baby-like voice. “Okay, okay, wait up.” Sana started following Jihyo’s cat, thinking that he wanted to play with her. When Bbuyo entered Jihyo’s room, Sana could see Jihyo lying face down on her bed and immediately understood why Bbuyo brought her here.

Sana carefully sat on the edge of the bed and started gently rubbing her friend’s back. Her small frail back that carried the responsibility of being the leader of current nations girl group, TWICE.

“What’s wrong Jihyo?”Sana asked in a slightly worried tone. During practice she seemed fine. In fact, she was as energetic and as mischievous as always. There was still no response from the girl.

Sana leaned closer to Jihyo and asked again, this time whispering in her ear. “Jihyooo~ Are you okayy~?”

Suddenly Jihyo shifted causing Sana to stumble forward. Before they knew it she was on top of Jihyo, their faces close, noses touching. Jihyo’s eyes were red and puffy with her face slightly pale.

Sana grabbed Jihyo’s right cheek in panic, “Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?”

“Period cramps…” Jihyo finally answered meekly, holding her stomach.

“Earlier than usual?” asked Sana. Jihyo nodded weakly. Without another word, Sana got off of Jihyo and disappeared from the room.

When she returned, she brought a bucket of ice cream. “This will make you feel better.” Sana passed the spoon to Jihyo and hopped on the bed, sitting next to her, before digging in together. Slowly Jihyo’s pained expression because of her period cramps changed into a sweet smile. They took turns feeding each other while exchanging laughter. They were now in their own little world. 

_Watching the two friends eat ice cream together made my heart full. I joined them on bed and laid there between them, enjoying the heartwarming atmosphere. It was the right thing to ask help from the orange haired girl. Both of them patted my head, as if saying I did a good job. It made me really happy! After the hurtful silence a few moments ago, finally hearing her laugh again made me relieved._


	5. Chapter 5

_It was just like every typical night where all the girls living in this place would be busy with their own things. She too was also busy staring at the television screen on the sofa with two of the other girls. One with the bunny-like teeth and one with the scary face._

_They seem like an odd group to hang around each other. There’s never a day where I don’t see them arguing. In fact, whenever they are together, I can guarantee that it will always be noisy. But one thing that I’ve noticed is that I’ve never seen her sad whenever she’s with them._

_I don’t know what they were watching, but the bunny teeth girl seemed to be shouting a lot at the screen. It always made me wonder if it would make any difference. Can the people inside the flat screen listen to her? The scary face girl seemed to be busy with her phone, unconcerned with the bunny teeth girl’s shouting, while she, was sitting on the edge of her seat occasionally commenting on what was happening on the screen._

While Jihyo was immersed in the drama she was watching, Jeongyeon suddenly grabbed her arm to show something on her phone. Nayeon who noticed them form a little group together paused the drama and scooted in to join the fun. She hates being left out after all.

“Look Jihyo, you’re trending worldwide! Amazing…” Jeongyeon showed Jihyo the twitter trends through her private account. The name ‘JIHYO’ was number two on the worldwide trending list with hundreds of thousands of tweets with her name.

Nayeon who was curious poked her head to see what was on Jeongyeon’s phone. She was also surprised seeing the worldwide trending list. “Woah Jihyo, lots of people are talking about you on the net.”

Jihyo took the phone from Jeongyeon’s hands and started scrolling through her trend. There were various tweets about her, ranging from tweets hyping her stunning visuals in their MORE & MORE teaser to nice loving messages directed towards her. Reading their tweets warmed her heart. It’s been a while since she’s read anything about her on the net, especially nice ones. “ONCEs are really amazing…”

_Her eyes were glued to the small rectangular shaped screen she was holding with her tiny hands. I could see her eyes light up as she read what was displayed on the screen while occasionally swiping it with her thumb. I wonder what was on the screen. The way she’s smiling makes me think that whatever she’s reading is a good thing. Good job scary faced girl!_

“They’re still up too at this hour. The must have been waiting for the teasers.” Jeongyeon said, taking a glance at the clock that was hanging on the wall. It was now past 12 AM.

“But I think most of them are foreigners. They’re tweeting in English.” Jihyo showed them the various tweets tweeted in English, some of them with stills of her teasers attached to them. 

Jeongyeon and Nayeon took another look at the flood of tweets. “You’re right. Jihyo you’re pretty popular abroad.”

“She’s even more popular than you unnie.” Jeongyeon blurted out with a small laugh. She was sure that her words hit the nail.

“Yaah! they were busy when my teaser went out!” Nayeon aggressively denied, which only made Jeongyeon laugh even harder. 

“Or they just didn’t want to watch your teaser.” Jihyo joined in with the teasing, high fiving Jeongyeon behind Nayeon’s back. The two girls were definitely enjoying this. 

“Who wouldn’t want to watch my teaser? I’m the prettiest.” Nayeon jokingly said in a high and mighty tone, pretending to be unbothered by the teasing. “Anyway you have to treat us!”

“That’s right. What should we ask?” Jeongyeon immediately changed sides as soon as Nayeon mentioned about getting treated. It looks like food was more important than her alliance with Jihyo.

“I’m not going to treat any of you,” Jihyo said, turning her head away from the two of them with a tiny ‘humph’.

“Why? You should at least treat us for a good occasion like this. Right?” Nayeon tried to seek affirmation from her new ally, Jeongyeon. She refused to back down at all costs. No matter how much money she makes as an international super star, she would never pass down the opportunity to get some free food, especially from her own friend. 

“Yeah.” Jeongyeon nodded – a bit too aggressively – in agreement. This is one of the rare moments where she would get along with Nayeon. It is true that a common ‘enemy’ unites people no matter how much you’re on ‘bad terms’ with them. 

“Why should I treat you anyways?” Jihyo whined. “I should be thankful to ONCEs.”

“Then you can order food for us and we can eat on vlive together. I’m sure ONCEs will be happy!” Nayeon suggested, still not giving up. Not too long ago, she and Momo did a vlive while eating too so it wasn’t just a random suggestion either.

“Vlive?” Jihyo slightly tilted her head.

“You haven’t been on vlive in a while right?”

“You’re right.” Jihyo seemed to be lost in thought, her hands fiddling. “But unnie..”

Both Jeongyeon and Nayeon looked at each other and sighed. “It’s fine if you aren’t ready yet.” Jeongyeon said, assuring the youngest girl of them three.

“Thanks.” Jihyo was grateful for having Nayeon and Jeongyeon who understood her situation. It’s not easy going on social media again after everything that happened. Right now, she wants to take things slowly and do things step by step, even if it meant being mostly off of social media for the time being. 

“You can still treat us though!” Nayeon said shamelessly with a beaming smile on her face.

Jihyo let out a deep sigh and got up from the sofa. “No thank you. Anyway I’m tired. I’m going to bed now.”

_She grabbed me from the ground and held me close to her chest. She said a couple of things to me as she stroked my head, but as always I didn’t understand what she was saying. But from the tone of her voice, I think, maybe, it’s something nice._

“Then who’s going to watch this with me?” Nayeon started pouting, pointing at the paused drama on the television screen. Watching the drama alone was the last thing she wanted.

“Good night~” Jihyo waved goodbye, ignoring Nayeon’s desperate attempt to make her stay, and left her two friends on the couch together.

Being abandoned by Jihyo, Nayeon immediately turned to Jeongyeon, her only hope. With her sad snowball[1] eyes, she was hoping that it would be enough to convince her. Seeing Nayeon like that, Jeongyeon groaned, feeling like she had no other choice but to give in to her helpless unnie. “Okay, okay fine.”

Hearing her answer, Nayeon jumped on to Jeongyeon in excitement and hugged her best friend fondly, while resting her head on Jeongyeon’s shoulder without permission - not that she needed any.

“How am I supposed to watch the drama like this,” Jeongyeon quietly murmured as her cheeks slightly turned red. 

***

_She carried me back to her room with light steps. It felt as if she had springs attached to her feet. As soon as we arrived at her room, she carefully put me down on the bed and threw herself right next to me. Staring at the plain white ceiling, she looked like she was thinking hard about something, occasionally pouting and twitching her eyebrows, but eventually smiling._

“I should at least upload something on twicetagram later for ONCEs.”

_With those simple words that I couldn’t understand, she hugged me with a huge smile on her face. I hope days like these continue to happen again and again and again._

[1] Snowball from The Secret Life of Pets


	6. Chapter 6

_I’m a very simple cat. As long as I see her happy, it makes me happy too. It’s always a refreshing sight whenever I see her with a bright smile on her face. That’s what I thought…_

_With my tiny paws, I try to reach her, trying to have her look at me, but she didn’t seem to notice me at all. She was focusing too much on the screen in front of her. Sitting next to her, was the elegant looking girl who was also focusing her attention on the screen. Their hands were busy pushing different buttons that I didn’t quite understand._

_This won’t do. If this keeps up, she won’t look at me at all. I decided to make a bold decision and climbed up on the table to block the screen. I was ready for her to yell at me, but she gently put me back down on the floor without uttering a single complaint._

_I felt like an unnoticeable spec of dust she just happened to wipe because she didn’t even scold me or say anything to me._

_With these sad and lonely feelings inside me, I lazily walked out of the room and sat myself at a corner, reflecting on what I did wrong. I always finished my food and I never bit or injured anyone in this house. Was it because of that one time I pissed the blankets? But it was an accident… I wouldn’t have done that normally._

_As I was thinking to myself, suddenly I heard a familiar voice approach me._

“Bbuyo~ What are you doing here in corner?” Sana sat down next to the depressed cat and started stroking his head gently. It was a rare sight to see Bbuyo being apart from Jihyo, let alone be in a corner like this. Usually he’d be sleeping on her lap or lay around close to her.

_Although it feels a bit different from the way she strokes me, I always love being stroked by the orange haired girl. It's gentle and kind._

“Are you lonely because Jihyo is playing with Mina?” Sana asked, staring at Bbuyo intently while waiting for him to answer. But Bbuyo only stared back at her silently. Of course the cat wouldn't answer.

“Don’t worry! Sometimes she ignores me too when I want attention.” She embarrassingly admitted. Although Jihyo is a very caring person, the moment she focuses on something, whether it be practicing, reading books, or playing games, it’ll be hard to distract her.

“Why don’t we bother her together?” Sana suggested with eyes lit up in excitement. She abruptly stood up and motioned to Bbuyo to follow her.

_I don’t know what the orange haired girl was up to, but it seemed like she was asking me to follow her. Is she trying to help me?_

When Sana and Bbuyo arrived at the room, Jihyo and Mina were still busy playing Minecraft on their laptops. Sana didn’t know much about what they were playing, but from what was happening on the screen and the way they were screaming in panic, it looks like they were facing something like a boss in the game.

Those two girls were so engrossed in the game that they didn’t even realize Sana standing by the door. Sana looked at Bbuyo and put her finger on her lips with a mischievous smile. She carefully crept in behind Jihyo, making sure that she didn’t notice her. Launching her surprise attack, she hugged Jihyo from behind and showered her cheeks with kisses.

Jihyo who was so surprised by the barrage of kisses, lost all her focus and abandoned her laptop.

“Don’t worry, I can handle the ender dragon by myself.” Mina calmly said, noticing that her partner was being attacked by Sana. It looks like no matter what happens, she was determined to win the boss fight.

_I didn’t know what the elegant girl was saying, but she looked so cool just now. Meow… I mean, wow._

Jihyo wasn’t particularly mad at Sana for interrupting her game time with Mina, but she didn’t want to let things slide just like that. “You’re going to regret this Sana.” Jihyo flashed an evil smile and started attacking Sana back, pushing her on the bed and tickling all her weak spots.

Sana tried to escape, but Jihyo didn’t let her. “No, Jihyo… Ahihihi, it tickles!”

_It looks like the orange haired girl’s plan worked perfectly. She finally stopped looking at the screen! I climbed on the bed to join in and pounced on her. This time I’m going to make sure that you look at me!_

“Oh, you’re joining in too Bbuyo? Come here!” Jihyo reflexively caught Bbuyo who pounced on her, held him close, and started rolling on the bed with him, laughing freely without a care in the world.

“I want to join too~!”

Sana still catching her breath after laughing nonstop, threw herself to join in for the hug, not wanting to be left out. The three of them all cozily snuggled in bed like a little family.

While Jihyo, Sana, and Bbuyo were busy with their own thing, Mina threw a little punch in the air triumphantly with a smug face and declared her victory after soloing the ender dragon. “Yes, I won!” 

_The hugs were a bit too tight, but I guess I can endure it for just a little bit. As long as she looks at me again, that’s all that matters. It was a small thing, being able to laugh and fool around like this, but it made me really happy. It was just an ordinary day filled with laughter, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world._


	7. Chapter 7

I was initially planning on taking my time off during comeback promotions, especially during the first week, but decided that it would be interesting to put out something different for this chapter. I came up with this idea suddenly and thought that it would be fun to write. I hope you have fun reading it!

An exclusive interview with a global superstar’s pet, Bbuyo!

**Author (A)** : Good morning Bbuyo! How have you been doing these days? Honestly it feels a bit awkward interviewing a cat. I hope that it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable too. 

**Bbuyo (B)** : Good morning. I have been doing well these days, playing with the girls in the dorm. I eat and sleep well too. Don’t worry, I don’t feel awkward at all.

**A** : It seems like you’re quite used to this? Is it because the girls always talk to you?

**B** : Part of the reason, yes. The other reason is because I practiced a lot for the interview. I don’t want to embarrass her for having an incompetent cat. I want to make her proud.

**A** : Ah, I see I see. You seem to have a very good relationship with her. Talking about good relationship, reading the past six chapters, some of the readers think that you’re a clingy cat. What do you think about that?

**B** : Clingy? I don’t think so. Maybe it’s because cats and humans have different sense of what’s clingy and what’s not. For me I think it’s quite normal.

**A** : Really? That’s quite interesting. Earlier you mentioned that you practiced a lot for the interview. Who did you practice with? Or did you practice alone?

**B** : About that, Boo was the one helping me. He hasn’t actually made an appearance yet in the series, but I’m sure the readers know who he is. I hope he makes his appearance soon. Although sometimes he's annoying, he’s actually a nice dog.

**A** : I have a strong feeling he will appear in future chapters. Anyway I’ve always wondered why you never mention any of the member’s names in the series. Why is that?

**B** : I want to know their names, but I always find it difficult to decipher the human language, so I end up not mentioning their names. The only thing I know is what they call me.

**A** : I guess that’s understandable. It would be nice if one day you get to know their names though. Next question, who is the member that plays with you a lot?

**B** : Other than Jihyo and Sana, Chaeyoung and Dahyun play a lot with me! Jeongyeon also takes care of me really well when Jihyo isn’t around. _[T/N: Bbuyo doesn’t exactly mention their names and just describes them like how he would usually do, but for the sake of clarity, their description is replaced with the member’s names.]_

**A** : TMI!

**B** : Before the interview, I listened a lot to More & More. I don’t understand the human language, but I do enjoy the song. Oh, and I also listened a lot to A Late Night of 1994 lately, the one where Jihyo sings it. For some reason it always makes me feel emotional listening to it. I suggest everyone give those two songs a listen!

**A** : Do you ever feel lonely when the members have schedules?

**B** : I do! The dorm always feels too big and too quiet whenever they have schedules. There are some times where Jihyo would bring me along with her, but most of the time she’d leave me at the dorm alone. _[T/N: Apparently this was before Boo came.]_

**A** : Alone? Does she not give you a caretaker or some sort?

**B** : No, and I don’t really mind. It’s actually more convenient being alone if I’m not with the girls. I have trust issues.

**A** : Tell us something funny the readers don’t know.

**B** : It’s more scary than funny, at least for me. Once Jeongyeon tried helping Jihyo bath me. You see, I’m not really fond of baths and so I moved a lot while they were washing me. Because of that Jihyo slipped and fell into the bathtub with Jeongyeon who was helping her. They ended up soaking wet and had to take a bath after washing me. Both of them scolded me so much it was so scary.

**A** : Is there any perks of being a global super star’s pet?

**B** : I don’t know. I think it’s no different from being a normal person’s pet? Though I have to admit, the food is always good and it’s nice always being pampered by nine beautiful girls every single day. I remember this one time when Jihyo brought me for a schedule. Since I was sleepy, I slept all the way there. When I woke up I was surprised when I saw angels around me. I thought I was dead and in heaven! It turns out it was just the members wearing pretty white dresses.

**A** : I guess that is a very huge perk, I envy you. I probably would have mistaken them for angels too if I were you. Last question, since you’re the main character of the ‘Jihyo and Her Cat Bbuyo’ series, is there any wishes you want to make?

**B** : Hmm… I just hope that people will enjoy following along my story.

**A** : What a simple wish for a cat. Thank you so much for your time Bbuyo, I’ll see you in the next chapter!

**B** : You’re welcome! I hope you don’t forget to add cooler lines for me in future chapters like you promised you would before the interview.

**A** : …Well, let’s just see about it later.

That concludes the short interview with Bbuyo! If there's any suggestions or questions, please feel free to leave it down in the comment section! I hope you enjoyed this filler chapter 😊


	8. Chapter 8

_Lately, every time the girls get home they would always look so tired it sometimes made me worry. This time, I was more worried than usual because as soon as they arrived home, all of them went straight to their rooms without any chatter, including her. As I followed her back to her room, I looked up to try to make out what she was feeling. I felt a bit sad that she seemed to be ignoring me, but if it was because she was tired, then there wasn't anything I could do about it._

_She sat on the edge of her bed and started spacing out. The only thing I could think of to cheer her up was to offer myself for her to cuddle with, so I climbed on to her lap to get a reaction from her. I did get a reaction, but it wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. Usually I would be able to see happiness in her eyes. This time I could only see pain._

“Bbuyo, what should I do?” Jihyo murmured, asking a question to her cat who was lying on her lap. She was physically caressing him, but her mind was wandering somewhere else.

_Those eyes… She must be thinking about something again. Is someone bothering her? Who do I have to fight? No matter how much I wanted to know, there was simply know way I could find out. We both live in the same world, but at the same time we don’t. Completely out of options, the only thing I could do was try to convey my feelings. Even though I know it might be futile, I still wanted to try. I looked up, and stared straight into her crystal-like eyes. Please don’t be sad…_

Jihyo noticed that Bbuyo was staring at her with wide eyes. For a moment, she thought that her cat was about to say something, but of course that was impossible. However, she still felt like Bbuyo was trying to convey something.

_Please, let my feelings reach her! Please…_

Seeing her cat look concerned on her behalf made Jihyo feel happy. It was something trivial, but something she appreciated.

“Thank you, Bbuyo.”

Jihyo reached for her phone and started typing something fast. After she was done, with Bbuyo still in her arms, she walked to the living room before she finally sat down on the carpeted floor. Not long after that, the girls appeared one by one in the living room and they started to form a circle.

_All the members were now present in the living room. Just like her, their faces didn’t have the same light they usually have when I see them. The room was filled with silence, until she opened the conversation. Seeing their faces, she was definitely addressing something beyond my knowledge. Some members started to sob. Some others started to speak up too, adding to the conversation they were having. Their pained expressions as they spoke suffocated me. If only there was something I could do. But the only thing that I could do was just be there with them._

_They continued to talk for a long time, having their feelings left bare to each other. There were cries, whispers, and even yells. It was messy and raw, like human feelings. Even so, they kept on going._

_I just listened to them silently, until their lengthy conversation finally seemed to come to an end._

“…No matter what people say about us, we just need to prove them wrong. We are all in this together.” Jihyo closed the long conversation with these final words.

_She put me down gently from her lap and motioned the other members to come closer to her before giving them all a huge hug with that tiny body of hers. The once gloomy atmosphere became cheerful and warm. I could see happy smiles as they embraced each other. With a heartfelt cheer at the end of their hug, I could see their eyes light up with hope once again._

A/N: It's a bit sad to announce this, but this will be the last chapter for a while. Recently I felt that my writings haven't been improving and I haven't been satisfied with the quality of work I've been putting out no matter how many drafts I make beforehand, so I've decided to work on it more before I write again. When the time is right I will come back to this series because truthfully I enjoyed writing this series. There's also a possibility that I might start new writing projects before I come back to this series. At the end, I'm just a nobody. I just felt that it would be rude not to tell those who spared their precious time to read my half baked works. Thank you so much for reading so far! I hope you enjoyed reading the eight chapters 😊


	9. Chapter 9

_One thing I’ve learned ever since she freed me from that confining place I used to call prison was that as a pet, you have an important role to support them. Just being there when they need you is more than enough. This is also the reason why I came along with her._

_As I settled down at the corner of the room, I observed the nine girls starting to make weird noises with their voices. Some had relaxed expressions on their faces and some looked worried. Ah, I remember… They are singers. This must have something to do with being a singer, not that I would fully understand._

_Not long after that, a tall woman entered the room. She had jet black hair, with fair make up on her face. This is the first time I’ve seen this person. From the looks of it, she seems older than the girls living with me, though it doesn’t mean that she looks particularly old either. The girls immediately stood up and respectfully greeted the woman entering the room as if it were routine. They sat back down as soon as the woman settled down on her seat._

_From there, it seems like they started to have a serious conversation with each other. It’s definitely something important because all of the girl’s faces were focused to her. I picked up a hint of worry in some of the girl’s faces, but the girls would always seem to encourage and reassure each other._

_After a lengthy explanation, one by one the girls started to sing. The women would from time to time stop them and explain something to them. Listening to their beautiful voices, I dozed off and completely went unconscious. When I woke up, I was already in her arms again. Apparently they were moving to another place. Realizing that I was awake, she patted my head gently and said something with a laugh. Although her touch was nice, for some reason I felt like she was making fun of me. It must have been because I dozed off. Ah, this is embarrassing…_

_When we finally arrived at the place we were heading, she carefully put me down on the floor._

_The room was spacious, enough to run around and play chase with her. Of course, that was just what I imagined in my mind. With wooden floors, bright lights shining from above, and mirrors attached to the walls, even I understood that this wasn’t a normal space._

_Noticing a nice spot to relax, I climbed on the sofa and lied down, observing the girls talk to each other in a rather serious manner. This is one of the rare moments the nine of them are like this. It’s a side of them that I admire, but never really get used to._

_When they finished with whatever they were talking about, she gave a signal to the person who was accompanying them and got into position. Seeing their facial expressions turn so serious when they’re normally so aloof felt foreign to me. As soon as the music started, they were moving their bodies fluidly, following the rhythm._

_My eyes widened not believing what I was seeing. Their movements were completely in sync. From the little knowledge that I have as a cat, I knew that they were dancing. Although I know the concept of dancing, I can’t distinguish the differences in difficulty between dances, but my cat instincts tell me that the one they’re doing right now wasn’t easy._

_Occasionally they would stop and someone would approach them to give them feedback, before they started again. The cycle continued like this over and over again, to the point where I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve done this dance. During breaks, she would hold me tight and talk to me with a huge smile on her face._

_How can she still be smiling when she looks so tired?_

_I tried snuggling close to her, giving her my support in my own little way. That was the only thing that I could think of. After all, there wasn’t much that I could do._

_When the break was over, all of them would walk back in a zombie-like manner to their place and continue with their practice. As I watched over her, I wondered if she ever felt tired doing this. It might be my first time seeing her during practice, but she must have done this for a long long time to be this good at it. The laws of the world is simple: You reap what you sow. She wouldn’t have been able to do something as complex – in my eyes – like that if she hasn’t been doing it for a long time._

_After hours and hours confined in this spacious room, we finally went back home. As usual, she would talk with the members energetically, occasionally even teasing them. I wonder where this girl gets her energy from. In the car on our way home, the members finally seemed to quiet down, including her. It looks like they really were tired after all. The only thing that I could hear was the sound of the engine as the car made its way back to the dorm._

_It was an exhausting day for them and so this peaceful moment must have been bliss for them. I looked up carefully, only to see that she was now fast asleep._

_Seeing her work so hard and earnestly made me feel proud of her. You did well._


	10. Chapter 10

_It was early in the morning when I felt the bed shift. I tried opening my eyes a bit, to take a peak of what was going on and I saw her putting on her sportswear. I glanced at the window and there were no signs of light anywhere. It was still pitch black. The sun hasn’t even rose yet, but why does she seem to be in a rush? Where is she going? I thought she liked cuddling with me._

_Curious, I decided to fully wake myself up. I stretched my body and let out some noises to get her attention. Noticing this, she looked at me with an apologetic face._

“I’m sorry for waking you up.” Jihyo said, as she zipped her jacket to the top. She grabbed her earphones and put them in her ears and patted Bbuyo’s head.

_Her small warm hands caressed my head, ever so gently, as if she was casting a spell on me to make me fall asleep again. Somehow, my eyes started to feel heavy. No, no, I can’t let her go outside alone! It’s still too early in the morning to be up and about. I licked her fingers and played with her hands with my grey colored paws, signaling that I was wide awake now._

_As always, she smiled at me with that warm smile of hers before she picked me up and put me in her arms. Being in her arms always feels comfy and right. I don’t know what it is that makes being in her arms special, but I do know that I like it, a lot._

_Still carrying me, she walks out of her room and sneaks carefully towards the entrance. She carefully puts me down to wear her own shoes before opening the door to leave, but she was surprised to see me tag along. Usually, I would send her off with a ‘meow’ and wait for her return later when the sky turns dark, but since the sun is barely up, I felt like I had to go with her. This might be selfish thinking, but I felt like it’s fine being selfish this time._

_I thought that she’d force me back inside the dorm. Despite how much she pampers me, she’s also pretty strict. But to my surprise, she signaled me to follow her and so with these short legs of mine, I scampered behind her. It was cold and dark outside, even with the fur I had. I wonder what would make her go outside at this time of the day knowing how uncomfortable it is. Wouldn’t it be nice to just be curled inside your blankets in your warm and comfy room?_

_While I was thinking those thoughts, she started to pick up her pace. She was no longer walking, but taking a light jog. She called out to me while looking back, seeing if I could keep up. The way she giggled seeing me confused somehow made me feel like the luckiest cat alive. If I had to go through abandonment to be with her, then it was worth it._

_I chased after her and she kept on jogging with springy steps. It took everything I could to keep up with her. After all, I don’t really like exercising. In fact, I barely move around these days, so being forced to run like this was a challenge. Even so, I’ve already decided that I wanted to accompany her, so I’ll just have to do my best. Still… having short legs like mine doesn’t really help at all._

“It’s been a while since I had a nice jog, so I felt like it would be nice to do it this morning.” Jihyo said, talking to her jogging company that most probably doesn’t understand what she’s talking about. “I also I ate too much last night hehe.”

_She was saying something to me with a bashful smile on her face. I wonder what it is._

_We kept on running and running until the sun started peeking from the horizon. Huah… I really am in bad shape. For an animal like me, this is pretty embarrassing. Shouldn’t I act a bit more animal-ish? I wonder if I would survive living in the wild being this pathetic. Well, I can barely survive without her, so I think I have my answer._

_Ah, my thoughts are all over the place. Oh no, I feel like I’m going to collapse at any moment._

_But just when I was on the verge of collapsing, she grabbed me from the ground and carried me to a nearby bench. There, she put me on her lap and started caressing me gently with her now cold hands. This feels good…_

“You did well Bbuyo. I’m proud of you. You should really try exercising more or you’ll get sick easily.” She looked into her pet’s eyes, trying to convey her concerns.

“Thanks for accompanying me today, Bbuyo.” She shared her gratitude towards her cat knowing that he doesn’t understand her. Nevertheless, she still wanted to let him know that she was thankful. Having someone or in this case a cat accompany you for a jog does make it feel less lonely. Although normally it would be a dog and not a cat.

_Her words were soft and calming, like the gentle wind breeze this morning. Her words were foreign to me, but I knew it was words of gratitude. I grabbed her hands to warm them up with the little fur I have. Being like this, we watched the sun rise slowly as the sky grew lighter and lighter. We were ready to face yet another day, together._


	11. Chapter 11

_It was a cool evening and normally I would be lying around in the living room comfortably, surrounded by the girls living in the dorm, but today I was outside, trailing behind the two girls who have been holding hands for a while. This came to me as a surprise because usually at the dorm they would bicker a lot with each other._

_With hands holding on to each other, they spoke their hearts to one another. Sometimes I see them with different expressions on their faces; laughter, smiles, worries, and even sad expressions. I wish I could understand them. Not that I could do anything if I did understand them though. It just feels like there will forever be a barrier that I won’t be able to surpass no matter how much time I spend with them._

_Just as I was lost in thought thinking about that barrier, I felt my body getting lifted. Before I realized it, I was in her arms being caressed gently with her warm palms. Both of the girls looked at me with fond eyes that made me want to melt away. There was a little sense of guilt inside me because I felt like I was interrupting them, but at the same time I also felt happy._

_Initially I wasn’t invited to their walk, but I was curious about where she was going so I insisted to join them. I thought that it would do me good to tag along, since I could also exercise. After all, I rarely do anything these days, so taking a walk would be good to get my body moving. Although my reasoning to join was to get my body in shape, at the end I’m just being a third wheel who ended up getting carried anyway._

_I’m sorry to the both of you…_

_Suddenly the other girl shifted and held on to her waist, keeping the distance between each other close. She was surprised by the sudden move, but the other girl just smiled cheekily. The other girl enjoyed every second of it as I suspected she did too. I could feel her heart beat faster than usual, a sign that she was somewhat nervous yet excited._

“Unnie, what are you doing? You’re being too clingy.” Jihyo said in an annoyed tone, even though her facial expression said otherwise.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Jihyo answered meekly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“You like it.” Nayeon confidently answered. She grinned at Jihyo and pulled her even closer to her side. “Besides, it’s been a while since we last walked around like this. We’ve been so busy lately.”

“You’re right.” Jihyo agreed, trying her best to handle the embarrassment from being held tight by Nayeon. Normally she would come up with some sort of retort that would make them end up fighting again, but she wasn’t in the mood for that. It was nice being like this once in a while.

It was nice being with Nayeon, alone.

_The two girls seem to be reminiscing as they spoke. The small steady steps they took and the smiles they shared opened a side of them that I’ve never seen before. Despite seeing them fight at almost every given day, there was fondness in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. The illuminated streets accompanied the two girls as the sky grew darker._

“Want to stop by somewhere?” Nayeon asked, arms still linked to Jihyo’s.

“Where?”

Without saying a word, Nayeon pointed at an empty playground not far from where they were. There were many things at the playground, but there was one particular ‘ride’ that caught Jihyo’s attention, as well as Nayeon. The sparkles in Jihyo’s eyes were enough for Nayeon to deduce that the younger girl agrees to stop by the playground to try out the swings.

“You can head there first. I’ll go and buy some drinks.”

“Thanks, unnie.”

_She went on alone to the playground while the other girl apparently went somewhere else. Is their walk together done? They did seem to talk about something before parting, but I don’t know what they said. I hope they weren’t fighting…_

_Before going on the swings, she carefully put me down on the ground. It’s not that I mind having to be on the ground again, but I also want to ride the swings with her. Sitting on her lap while she’s playing on the swings sounds like fun. Should I just jump on her lap? But what if she’s unprepared and ends up falling from the swings? After carefully weighing – well not really – the pros and cons, I decided to just watch her from where I was._

_Not long after that, the other girl appeared with two cans of drinks. So they weren’t fighting after all. That’s a relief…_

“Here you go.” Nayeon handed Jihyo her drink.

“Melon juice?” Jihyo looked at Nayeon in bewilderment. It was a warm canned juice, but it was more common to get something like tea or coffee for warm drinks at night. Jihyo thought Nayeon was pulling her leg by treating her like a kid.

“Yup, because you look like a melon.”

There wasn’t a hint of guilt in her words as she casually sat down on the swing next to Jihyo. Nayeon had no intention of treating Jihyo as a kid, but her actual reasoning made Jihyo even more annoyed. As much as Jihyo wanted to say something, at the end she just let out a deep sigh. 

The two girls opened their canned drinks almost simultaneously and took a sip, before starting to move back and forth lightly on the swings. 

“It’s nice being like this, right?”

“You’re right. We are always together with everyone and it’s nice, but sometimes some alone time, just the two of us like this, is nice too. I’m sure the other members agree too.”

“Yeah…”

There was a short silence. The only sounds were the squeaking noises coming from the swings as the two girls were increasing their speed.

“It’s been hard, hasn’t it?” Nayeon finally broke the silence.

Jihyo only looked at her with a face that said _what are you talking about?_

“I mean, being the leader. You always do things perfectly sometimes I forget that it’s not easy. I haven’t been paying attention to you a lot lately. I’m sorry.”

“What are you saying? You’ve always took good care of me. You always listen to my worries, be there when I need you, and help me out. I’m already really grateful for that. I guess it is hard from time to time, but I have you all with me, so it’s okay. Ah, sorry… I sounded really cheesy just now, didn’t I?” Jihyo giggled, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Did the melon juice have alcohol?” Nayeon played along.

“Of course not! Besides, I don’t get easily drunk like you unnie.” She stuck out a tongue at Nayeon who was swinging next to her. Something a petty child would do. Although many of her fans might argue that she is indeed still a child.

_The two friends continued to converse cheerfully and lively with smiles on their faces. Each swing they took felt like they were shedding their worries and insecurities one by one. The stars were now out, faintly shining in the darkness, watching over the two girls who have known each other since forever._

_It was inevitable that they held a mini competition among themselves – which of the two can swing the highest. Watching them made me feel anxious more than I thought it would, but fortunately in a matter of minutes this mini competition of theirs was concluded. I have no idea who won, especially because both of them acted as if they won. I guess this is normal when it comes to these two._

_After done playing at the swings, they decided that it was time to head back to the dorm because it was getting late. We made our way back in a somewhat serene mood with the other girl clinging on to her again like before. It didn’t take long for us to finally arrive back at the dorm._

_Before Nayeon opened the door, she turned around and whispered something in her ear before entering the dorm in a hurry. Although it wasn’t loud, my ears could still catch what she was saying. I don’t know what she said, but I know for sure that it was something that meant a lot to her because she was standing glued to the ground with a huge smile on her face._

_“I had lots of fun with the little ‘date’, Jihyo. Thanks. I love you.”_

_I wonder what those words meant._


	12. Chapter 12

_Every once in a while, very rarely actually, she would isolate herself from the other members without saying a single word. She would usually lock the door to her room to prevent anyone from entering and interrupt her solitude time. But I was an exception. I was allowed in during those times and it somehow made me feel a little bit special. Is it because I’m a cat? Is it because she thinks I can’t understand her? Or is it exactly the opposite from what I’m thinking? Only she holds the answer._

_She would sit on the floor beneath the open window in a curl, as if shielding herself from the outside world as much as possible, while letting the cold night breeze pierce her skin. She would sometimes shed tears. She would sometimes mutter words that I don’t understand. But today, she was silent. She just curled in a ball without moving an inch. Ever since she saved me from that place, I promised to protect her at all costs. And I plan to keep that promise for as long as I live._

_I walk to her silently and sit next to the curled up girl without saying anything – not that she would understand me anyway. The lights were off, so the only source of light came from the open window. It was one of those nights where the moon just happened to be watching over us arrogantly, reflecting lights that aren’t his._

_It was difficult for me to process what emotions she was feeling right now, even though we’ve spent so much time together. I felt like I was taking her open book personality for granted all this time. When she cried, I knew it was because she was hurt. When she was talking to herself intensely, it was because she was angry. But now that she’s silent, I don’t know what kind of emotions she’s feeling now and how to help her._

_Have I failed to protect the one person I wanted to protect? No, I won’t let that happen._

_I tried rubbing my face on her arms to let her know that I was here for her, but there was no reaction. I tried touching her hands with my paws, but again there was no reaction. I called out to her name, knowing full well that she wouldn’t answer me, and just as expected, she didn’t. Then I recalled that time she didn’t respond to me. If I wasn’t mistaken, it was because her stomach hurt. Wait, was it her stomach or something else? I remember she ate ice cream…_

_How am I supposed to get ice cream in this state? I’m just a cat! I looked around the room in panic for an alternative and saw a chocolate bar on the table. It wasn’t ice cream, but it should give the same effect, so I hopped on top of table and grabbed it with my mouth and brought it to her. I called out to her again, pushing the chocolate bar with my paws, but there was no response. Until I saw something fall on the floor._

_It was her tears. She was silently crying and I didn’t notice. Not one bit._

_I felt like my heart was crushed. Even when I was the only one allowed in this room, I didn’t notice her feelings. I wasn’t able to notice something as important as this! I cursed my limitations as a cat who only knew so much about humans. In this little brain of mine, I never expected that a person, a human being, could cry silently. It was beyond my knowledge, up until this moment. But the only thing I do know now is that it looks even more painful and excruciating than crying aloud._

_It felt like she was begging to be saved, crying help from someone else._

_Her tears started dropping more, one by one, but I couldn’t move. I felt like I was sinking into the ground seeing her in pain and realizing my incompetence. It was conceited of me to think that I would be able to understand her, that I could save her. I couldn’t do a single thing._

_What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? Move legs, move! I can’t do this. No, I have to do this. Who do I think I am? I can’t—_

_Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door and I was able to snap out of my helpless thoughts. The girls outside were calling her name, one by one, in a worried tone. I glanced at her, seeing what reaction she had hearing their voices, but she didn’t seem to flinch at all. That’s when I realized that there was only one thing I could do._

_Break down her walls, even if it has to be by force._

_I can’t do anything as a cat. The only thing I can do is to let the people who can help inside. I moved my short legs heavily towards the door and looked up at the door lock. It was a simple, yet complicated lock for a cat to unlock. Even so, I tried my best to rack out my brains to remember how she’s always done it. I tried visualizing how I would unlock the door, something unimaginable for a cat to do. I can do it! No, I have to do it!_

_I took a deep breath before I leaped to the lock and swiped my paws as hard as I could to unlock the door. The sound of the door unlocking made my heart more at ease. Now the people who can really help her can enter. At the end, I was useless even though I’ve been here all along._

_Hearing the door unlock, the girls slowly opened the door and came in, rushing to Jihyo's side. Watching them from aside, I was relieved that finally they were able to reach her. The curled up Jihyo was now safely in Nayeon and Jeongyeon’s embrace, while the other members held on to her hands giving her support. Words of encouragement and assurance helped her calm down._

_The suffocating lonely atmosphere was now gone with all nine of the girls together. It’s funny how even though I can’t understand them as much as I want to, I know for sure that whenever they are together, they can get by anything. And I’m sure that’s what they believe too. Her isolating herself wasn’t because she didn’t trust the other girls. Rather, it was because she cared so much about them that she didn’t want to burden them with her problems. At the end, they were still there for her because no matter what her problems were, they would gladly hear them out, just as they were doing right now. I’m glad she has eight soul mates that are always by her side._

_With mixed feelings in my chest, I silently made my way out of her room to give them space._

_I was no longer needed anymore._


	13. Chapter 13

_This is my punishment for being too conceited. It’s my punishment for being too self-centered. I thought that I was only thinking for the best for her, but at the end I was only acting for myself. The streets were empty and the wind was chilly, even though I’m covered in fur. I walk aimlessly, contemplating on my whole existence. I thought I was supposed to protect her and be there for her, but at the end I failed her. There was nothing that I could do. This is better, right? She doesn’t need such a useless cat beside her, especially after so many things she’s done for me._

_She always understands me, even without me having to say anything. Before I’m ever hungry, she would always call me and give me food. The tastiest foods a cat could ever imagine eating. Sometimes she would get strict with the portion when I gain too much weight, but I know that it’s for my own good. My health was always in her concerns._

_She always made time to play with me in the midst of her busy schedule. At first, I didn’t know what she did. All I knew was that she lives together with 8 girls and that she’s always so busy. Lately, I’ve figured out that she’s what in the human world would call a celebrity. No wonder she’s always shining in my eyes. Even with so many things to do, she still spares her precious time with me._

_She never treated me as just a pet. She always treated me as a family. She talks to me, tells me about her day when she gets home, and listens to me intently even though I’m sure she doesn’t understand a single thing I’m saying. Whenever I’m with her, although this might sound ridiculous, I feel... human._

_“Why? Why did I fail her?” Those questions keep popping inside my head. After everything she’s done for me, I couldn’t do a single thing for her. I don’t deserve to stay with her anymore. I would only end up as a good for nothing cat that takes their owner’s kindness for granted, living a life as a parasite and burdening her even more with my existence._

_I’ve always been alone anyway. It’s not like this is something new to me. Maybe the reason why I was thrown out in the first place was because I was a burden to them, just like how I am a burden to her now. It all makes sense. Ever since I was born, I was only a burden to someone else. I understand now... I deserved to be thrown away. I deserve to be alone._

Suddenly Bbuyo could hear heavy steps approaching him. He quickly turned his head to see what was approaching him, only to be frozen on the spot.

“Bbuyo!” Jihyo called out to the grey furred cat. Her face was covered in sweat and she was out of breath, but she kept on running towards the cat she’s been frantically looking for. As soon as she was close enough, she grabbed the cat and held him tight to her chest.

“I’m so glad I found you..” Jihyo said in relief, half tearing up. She caressed Bbuyo’s fur as if she was saying, ‘everything is going to be alright’.

_Why? Why is she here?_

“I looked for you everywhere in the dorm, but couldn’t find you. So I searched outside with the other members. I’m glad I found you. Don’t run away from me again...” Jihyo looked at Bbuyo in the eyes. She knows that her cat wouldn’t understand her so she tried her best to convey her wishes through her eyes. “Please, stay by my side.”

_Those huge round eyes looked at me as if they were begging me to stay. In truth, she didn’t even have to ask. But my guilt and conscience kept on torturing me and pushed me to leave. I looked back into her eyes and I knew that she was sincere with her wish. Someone still wanted me. She still wanted me._

_I thought that I wasn’t fit to be by her side anymore, but if she went all the way to look for me and ask me to come home, wouldn’t that make me even worse of a cat if I refused? I can’t believe I’ve forgotten one important thing. That at the end of the day, I am Bbuyo her cat and my job is to be with her until the end._

_In my own way, I promised to stay and that I would never leave her side ever again. She nodded with a smile, seemingly understanding what I was saying. Despite the language barrier, our hearts were connected and so we were still able to convey what we wanted to say._

_We made our way back to the dorm, me still wrapped in her arms. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the other girls who seem to have returned to the dorm after helping her search for me. Everyone jumped to see if I was okay and said many things at once I didn’t understand. Their smiles gave a certain warmth inside that I couldn’t explain. This is where I belong._

_I’m home…_


	14. Chapter 14

_I looked outside the window and I noticed that dark clouds were starting to form, a clear sign that it was about to rain soon. I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, despite not understanding its concept. Supposedly humans use that tool to tell time, that’s what I learned through experience. Even without being able to understand how to read the time I already knew that she was late. I was worried that she might not get back home in time before it starts raining. What if she gets sick because of the rain? Those thoughts kept haunting my mind as a paced through the living room with my short legs._

_No, it should be fine. She went with one of the young members of the dorm, Dahyun who always seem to be prepared for anything unexpected. Surely, she also brought an umbrella along with her in case it rained today. Keeping that in mind, my uneasiness started to subside… only for a moment. Even though she’s always prepared, there’s still a possibility that she didn’t bring an umbrella with her. That means there’s still a chance of them getting caught in the rain!_

_There was no point in speculating as it would only add to my anxiety, so I walked to the entrance where they usually put their umbrellas in its designated place. I was hoping to see one or two umbrellas gone, but unsurprisingly they were all complete and neatly stored. My last hope of Dahyun bringing an umbrella along with her vanished just like thin air._

_This is bad. Why aren’t they home yet? From their light clothing when they went out, it seemed like they weren’t going anywhere far from the dorm. Maybe they had errands to run or just went out on a short date together. Whatever it is the only certain thing is that they went by foot because I saw them from the window, walking, when they left together. If they didn’t go anywhere far, then they should be back at any minute now after realizing how dark the sky is right now. If only I went together with them… No. Even if I did go with them, it’s not like I could do anything either. I would only be a burden to them. Plus, I hate the rain. I don’t like the feeling of my fur getting all heavy and sticky because of it. It’s unpleasant._

_I looked outside the window again to check if it had already started raining or not and I could see small droplets of water slowly falling from the sky one by one. What I feared finally happened and there were still no signs of the two girls anywhere. Not even their footsteps (I can hear them from quite some distance, although not as sensitive as a rabbit). The drizzling rain turned into a shower in no time, which meant that they were definitely caught in the rain by now._

_The dorm was empty, since many of the members went outside to hang out with their friends and family during their rare break, except maybe for one person. Normally it would be Mina, who seemed like being indoors was her natural habitat, but unfortunately Sana and Momo dragged her outside for today because it’s been months since they last went out together._

_I went to the room where my only hope resided. She’s one of my favorite people here and I knew that I could count on her, but the problem was that I didn’t want to bother her if she was busy. I promised to myself that if she was in the middle of something, I’ll just do something on my own, even if it meant getting my fur all wet—something that I absolutely want to avoid at all costs. As I slithered my way through the small gap of the slightly open door, I saw her sitting on her chair, immersed in scribbling on a piece of paper placed in front of her._

_I was hoping that she was free, but apparently she wasn’t. With my head lowered I quietly stepped outside of her room, until I accidentally bumped the door which caused a squeaking sound. The girl who was initially in her own world snapped back to reality and turned her head towards the door. Of course she would be surprised if she heard the door suddenly open. She was the only one left in the dorm after all._

“Oh, Bbuyo it’s you. You scared me for a bit. I thought it was something else.” The girl sighed in relief, putting her hand on her chest. “What is it? Are you lonely?” she asked the grey furred cat who was staring back at her.

_I completely forgot how I was going to tell her._

“Wah Bbuyo, I didn’t realize it was raining outside.” The girl was already in front of her window, peeking through the curtains. Apparently she was really deep in the zone she didn’t realize that it was raining until just recently. Having finally realized that it was raining, she realized one more thing. Something that Bbuyo wanted her to realize in the first place.

“Jihyo unnie and Dahyun unnie! They aren’t back yet from grocery shopping.” She opened the door to her room and dashed outside to confirm that they haven’t been back yet.

The girl looked at Bbuyo who only replied with a ‘meow’. “So that’s why you went to my room. Okay, let’s fetch Jihyo unnie and Dahyun unnie. They must be stuck at the groceries store.”

The girl didn’t waste any time and immediately grabbed her coat in her room and three umbrellas that were by the entrance, all the while Bbuyo kept on tagging along with her. Noticing the cat’s strange behavior, she understood that the cat wanted to join her, so with a smile on her face she gave an okay sign, whether the cat understood or not.

_Luckily she really did understand me and allowed me to tag along with her. Even though I hate the rain and could have waited for them to return while I sit on the warm and cozy sofa, it would be a disgrace to the name my master gave me if I were to do nothing in such a situation._

_The streets were mostly empty because of the rain. It seems like most of them took shelter at the nearest place they could find. My paws were soaked because of the rain. Luckily, the girl held an umbrella that protected us from the pouring rain. I still don’t know where our destination was, but from the streets that we’ve passed so far, I can deduce that were heading towards the grocery store, though I’m not certain. My master only brought me there once there. I say ‘brought me there’ but I didn’t actually go inside as animals were prohibited. I had to wait for her outside, under the scorching sun in front of the grocery store for almost an hour. That explains why I never went with her again._

_While we were walking through the rain, protected by the umbrella she was holding, I suddenly heard someone calling out to us. I looked left, then right, and there I saw the two girls we were looking for taking shelter under a big tree. They were both hugging each other._

“Chaeyoung! Bbuyo! We’re here!” Jihyo with her loud voice called out to them, not letting her voice get drowned by the sound of rain. Noticing Jihyo’s voice, Chaeyoung immediately rushed towards the girls.

“What are you doing under a tree? You’re still all wet.” Chaeyoung asked in bemusement, while holding her umbrella on top of them three.

“We were already on our way home when it suddenly rained and it was too far to go back to the grocery store, so we took shelter here.” Dahyun explained.

“Why is Bbuyo here?” it was Jihyo’s turn to ask questions.

“He insisted to join. Isn’t he a good boy?” Chaeyoung said, looking at the quiet Bbuyo who was standing under their feet.

Jihyo crouched down and gave a light pat on his head. “Good boy. Thanks for picking me up Bbuyo! I can’t carry you cause I have to carry the groceries, so can you walk along with us?”

Naturally Bbuyo didn’t really have any options. Not that he would demand to be carried in the first place. Although he was a cat, he was a very understanding one, a reflection of his understanding owner.

“Here’s the umbrellas unnie.” Chaeyoung handed the umbrellas she brought from home to Jihyo and Dahyun.

“I don’t want it. Let’s go back walking under one umbrella. Isn’t it more romantic?” Jihyo said with an energetic voice, her eyes lit up in excitement imagining the scenario of her suggestion.

“Unnie, we won’t fit.” Dahyun tried to reason with Jihyo. But of course, it was no use. Jihyo was one of the most understanding members among them, but she was also one of the most annoying ones, along with Nayeon and Jeongyeon.

“Come on, we’re all small. See? Even right now we all fit under Chaeyoung’s umbrella.” She countered, pointing at the umbrella currently sheltering them. “If we walk close enough, nobody will get wet.”

What Jihyo said did make sense so there was no way for the two maknaes to refuse her. And so the three tiniest members started making their way back to the dorm under one umbrella, like Jihyo insisted. Instead of a romantic atmosphere, the three friends couldn’t help but laugh at themselves.

_As we made our way back to the dorm, the three girls looked as if they were glued to each other. It couldn’t be helped. Although the umbrella was pretty big, fitting three people under it was still a pretty tall order. The only way for all three of them to fit was by sticking as close as possible to each other. The rain was still pouring hard and normally it would make things gloomy, but I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the three little friends together like this. Even with this gray toned atmosphere, they were still bursting with colors._

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! If you enjoyed reading this chapter it would mean the world to me if you can show your appreciation through streaming Jihyo's melody project.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djjbl7J6ZmU
> 
> Jihyo means a lot to me, so I would be really grateful if you stream her music 😊


End file.
